Dozens of items once belonging to Princess Diana hit auction block

by MARK PRATT, Associated Press

This August 2017 photo provided by RR Auction shows a locket containing a photograph of Princess Diana and her sons Prince Harry, left, and Prince William, " that is among dozens of items with a direct connection to the princess that are being sold at auction by Boston-based RR Auction. Bidding ends Sept. 13. (Sarina Carlo/RR Auction via AP)

Now, dozens of items with a direct connection to one of the most admired women in the world — from articles of clothing, to jewelry, to signed papers and photographs, and even to a piece of her wedding cake — are for sale by Boston-based RR Auction.

"She still resonates all over the world," RR Executive Vice President Bobby Livingston.

The 79 items from a variety of sources span most of her life, from her childhood to her teenage years to her wedding day and afterward. They even include belongings she donated to charity auctions just months before her death in a Paris car crash on Aug. 31, 1997, at age 36.

The most spectacular item is a satin-lined, silver-jeweled evening bag that dates to the early 1980s. It was given to a member of the royal household and comes with a letter confirming its authenticity. It's expected to sell for more than $15,000.

A 17-inch (43-centimeter) silver necklace with a capital "D'' charm that Diana is thought to have worn as a teen is Livingston's favorite item for sale.

"It really strikes me as the most personal item," he said. "The logo became definitive of her."

The necklace is expected to sell for $2,000, but Livingston suspects it could get much more.

Perhaps the strangest item for sale is a piece of wedding cake encased in a special box commemorating Diana's marriage to Prince Charles, marked on the cover with "CD, Buckingham Palace, 29th July 1981."

The auction even includes a casual white sweater from British department store Marks & Spencer with a simple label inside that reads "D. Spencer." It was likely worn in Diana's teenage years and came into the possession of the head chef at her family's home when the family decided to redecorate her bedroom.

Diana's signed childhood copy of Beatrix Potter's "The Tale of Pigling Bland" could sell for more than $2,000.